Packered out? Top 11 other things to do in area

Aug. 4, 2009 12:20 PM

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Yes, Lambeau Field is the center of the universe for Green Bay Packers fans. But there are plenty of other things to see and do in the Green Bay area which have nothing to do with football. Here are 11 of the best:

Amusing times and wild times

Do you have bored kids? Consider taking them to Green Bay’s Bay Beach Amusement Park and Wildlife Sanctuary.

One of the best things about this small amusement park is the old-fashioned prices. Kiddie rides such as the Ferris wheel, Tilt-a-Whirl, Scrambler and train are no more than 50 cents.

Go back in time

The first Europeans to settle in Wisconsin did so in the Green Bay area. If you want an engaging history lesson, check out Heritage Hill State Historical Park, 2640 Webster Ave., Allouez — almost due east from Lambeau Field across the Fox River.

With 25 historical buildings and role-playing guides, Heritage Hill can be both educational and entertaining.

Take a self-guided tour from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday or noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday from May 4 to Sept. 1. Hours are the same in September but the park is only open on the weekend. During the off-season (October until May 4), the park is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

You can always go downtown

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, downtown Green Bay turns into party central. With more than a dozen watering holes in a four-block region of Washington Street on the east side of the Fox River, no one ever goes thirsty in this city. Several bars specialize in live music and dancing on weekends.

For the nonparty crowd, the Broadway District on the west side of the Fox River is the best place to go for locally owned, non-chain restaurants and shops. For information, check out www.onbroadway.org

Deal me in

The Oneida Bingo & Casino complex, across the street from Austin Straubel International Airport in Ashwaubenon, hums 24 hours a day. There’s an off-track betting parlor, blackjack, high-stakes bingo, craps and roulette. Video and slot machines are up and running around the clock.

Video and slot machines also can be found at 24 hours a day at the Mason Street Casino, 2522 W. Mason St., Green Bay. A poker room is open from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and around the clock Friday and Saturday. Free shuttle service is available between the two casinos.

Something old, something new

The Neville Public Museum has several exhibits, both temporary and permanent, for visitors to check out.

Permanent exhibits are: “The Discovery Room,” “Highlights from the Photograph Collection,” “Hometown Advantage: the Community and the Packers” and “On the Edge of the Inland Sea,”

Temporary exhibits this year will include “Tools in motion: Works from the Hechinger Collection,” from April 13 to Aug. 9; “Paintings by Rafael Francisco Salas,” from April 25 to Aug. 16; “Selections from the Green Bay Art Colony” from Aug. 2 to Sept. 13 and “Spiders!,” from May 16, 2009 to May 23, 2010.

Shop 'til you drop

Just south of Lambeau Field, at 2400 S. Oneida St. in Ashwaubenon is Simon Bay Park Square Mall.

Over the past decade, this area has replaced downtown Green Bay as the retail hub of Northeastern Wisconsin.

The mall has four major anchors (Younkers, Younkers Furniture Gallery, Kohl’s and Shopko), more than 90 specialty stores, including Gap, Victoria’s Secret and Old Navy, and a food court with eight eateries. Bay Park Square Cinema is nearby.

Mall hours are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Do the Door

Depending on traffic and construction, it takes less than 90 minutes from Green Bay to get to the Door County peninsula.

One of the most popular vacation destinations in the Midwest, Door County has 300 miles of shoreline, offering visitors some of the most scenic vistas in Wisconsin. Famous for cherries and fish boils, Door County is well worth the trip, especially if you’re an outdoors enthusiast.

Small towns like Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Sister Bay and Baileys Harbor offer small-town shops like confectionaries and ice cream parlors that are unique to the area.

Take to the lake

It’s about an hour’s drive east from Green Bay through rural country to Lake Michigan.

Three small communities — Algoma, Kewaunee and Manitowoc — nestle up to the lake and are within short driving distance of one another. They may not be as chic and trendy as Door County, but they’re not as pricey or touristy, either.

Manitowoc, the southernmost of these three towns, is home to the National Maritime Museum, a splendid place to learn about the glory years of the region’s maritime industry.

Native history

Preserving the history of the “People of the Standing Stone,’’ the Oneida Nation Museum has one of the largest exhibits of Oneida history and artifacts in the world. There’s also a nature trail and gift shop offering handcrafted items.

The museum is located west of Lambeau Field at W892 Outagamie County EE, Oneida.

Try something NEW

Only eight miles north of Green Bay at 4378 Reforestation Road in Suamico, the NEW Zoo has animals from around the world, including rare and endangered species.

It has 92 exhibits comprised of more than 215 animals including a snow leopard, red panda, giraffes, prairie dogs, an albino alligator, and macaws. This year saw the addition of Carson and Lucy, two Lynx kittens.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Wednesday when it’s open until 8 p.m. during the summer, but the zoo is open seven days a week year-round. Cost of admission is $5 for adults (ages 16 and older), $3 for seniors (ages 62 and older) and children (ages 3 through 15). Children younger than 2 get in free.